Sueños Music Festival recently attracted tens of thousands for a weekend celebrating reggaetón and regional Mexican music. Yet another sound steadily echoed across the festival grounds: Latin rave. Latino artists like Deorro, Roz, and Chicago DJs such as AYKID are innovating by blending Latin rhythms like cumbia, reggaetón, and regional Mexican styles, spotlighting Latino identity in global dance culture.
The rise of these artists, alongside Sunday headliner Fuerza Regida, demonstrates how Latin music and EDM are merging in mainstream spaces, reshaping Latino music for a younger, bicultural generation. Their beats, rooted in identity, migration, and culture, reach audiences worldwide, showcasing how heritage-rich music transcends borders.
This summer, Sueños took place over a weekend in Grant Park with three stages of music, opening with headliners J Balvin and Kali Uchis. At La Fuente stage, the festival’s second-largest, fans erupted for Mexican EDM duo Roz. With lights flashing, the audience sang along, waved flags, and danced to an energetic set that fused electronic production with Latin rhythms.
For many artists, the movement transcends genre experimentation. It emphasizes representation. Sebastián Oliva, known as Chan, a Mexican-American EDM producer from Milwaukee, explained his journey. He began mixing Mexican songs with EDM during the pandemic, gaining traction with online mixes. “Deorro is the top guy, but it’s a crazy movement now,” Chan noted.
This movement reflects a cultural shift as Latino DJs place their identity at the core of their music. “We’re showing that Mexicans can do this too,” Chan said. For him, it’s about being Mexican and creating music for a wider audience. His parents immigrated from Guanajuato, Mexico, and culture remains central to his work. Returning to Sueños for the second year with a later slot signifies growing visibility.
Chicago’s Roger Morales, known as AYKID and formerly a Tribune multimedia journalist, also highlighted the significance of representation. “Many artists could perform here, being among a few is special,” he stated. His set included house music, Latin edits, juke, and remixes from festival artists. Morales draws inspiration from hip hop DJ culture and Chicago’s rich musical heritage, mentioning genres like Duranguense and Juke.
Fuerza Regida closed Sueños on Sunday by blending EDM production with ranchera influences. Frontman Jesús Ortíz Paz, or JOP, expressed the group’s versatility, pushing beyond traditional regional Mexican boundaries while honoring their roots. “We surprise fans,” JOP remarked, aiming for innovation while preserving traditional sounds.
Fuerza Regida’s experimentation led to collaborations with artists like Shakira and Young Beef. JOP noted the group’s natural exploration of blending genres, maintaining their identity. Collaborating with top producers like Gordo was part of creating hits such as ‘Pero No Te Enamores’ in Colombia.
As regional Mexican artists enter mainstream festivals, JOP expressed pride in representing a younger generation redefining the genre. “Aware of the younger generation watching, we bring the best music we can,” he said. Fuerza Regida dedicates effort to the community, consistently working in the studio, planning, practicing, and supporting emerging bands and artists.
Their album ‘111XPANTIA’ was the first regional Mexican album nominated for Album of the Year at the American Music Awards. Fuerza Regida appeared on shows like Jimmy Fallon and covers like Rolling Stone. The band aspires to collaborate with producers like Skrillex and Fred Again, expanding the genre’s reach.
For JOP, regional Mexican music’s evolution reflects bicultural experiences of many Mexican American artists and fans. They grew up with música mexicana and other diverse genres, making the music and style a global sum of influences.